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T. R. TIMBY. SUBTERRANEAN SYSTEM oF COAST DEFENSE.

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'IHEODORE R. TIMBY, OF NYACK, NEV YORK.

SVUBTERRANEAN SYSTEM OF COAST DEFENSE.

SPECIFICATION' formingpart of `Letters Patent No. 246,987, datedSeptember 13, 1881.

` Application filed August 17, 1881. (No model.) I

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THEODORE I{.TIMBY, a citizen of the United States,residing at Nyack, in the county of Rockland and State of New York, haveinvented a Subterranean System of Coast Defense, of which the followingis a specification.

The subject of my invention is a subterranean fortification, which, whennot in use, may be lowered beneath or to the level of the surface oftheground, so as to be out of sight, and which admits of being so coveredas to conceal all indications of a. fortification or defensive work, andwhen needed for action may be quickly elevated, so as to present afully-equipped fort, revolving or otherwise.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view, showingthe fort or tower elevated readyfor action. Fig. 2 is a perspective viewwith the fort lowered. Fig. 3 is a plan. Fig. 4 is avertical section,showing the fort partially elevated. l

AAreprescnt ground of any ordinary level, and B a pit of sufficientdepth to receive the fort C. The pit B is provided with tight walls b,adapting it to hold Water, which is-snpplied at will from any availablesource-as, for eX- ample, one or more tanks, 1) D D, through aconducting pipe or pipes, E, under control of cocks F, operated byhand-wheels Gr at any convenient point. The pipe E delivers the water inthe lower part ofthe pit B, as shown in Fig. 4.

H is a wastepipe for discharging water from the pit B, when desired,under control of a cock, I, operated by a hand-wheel, J, said pipe y Hdelivering it to any suitable drain or outlet.

The lower part of the fort C is constructed with any desirable number ofstories c c, which', being always below ground, may be used for storageand quarters, or for any other use, and may have comparatively lightwalls, being liever exposed above the ground. The displacement thnsprovided affords ample flotation to the whole structure when water islet into the pit B from the tanks D. Y

The upper part of the fort is incased in thick armor-plating, or formedwith heavy steel or iron walls, to render it impenetrable to shot, andconstructed with a casemate, K, within which gunsLare mounted onsuitable carriages,

to adapt them to be fired either horizontally or at any angle ofelevation or depression through theembrasures, the structure being soarranged that the said casematemay be elevated completely above thelevel of the ground, as illustrated in Fig. l, so as to operate as afort with either a horizontal or a depressed re, according to the heightat which the tower is supported; or, if preferred, it may be elevatedpartially above the ground, as illustrated in Fig. 4, so that while thecasemate is completely protected by the earth, as shown at A', the guns,being elevated at an angle, as illustrated at L', may throw shells afterthe mannerof inortars, but with much greater effect and precision.

Above the casemate K the fort is constructed in the form of a barbette,M, in the center ot` which is a lookout-tower, N.

rlhe entire fort is centered on a pillar, P, around which it` isrevolved by any suitable mechanism, which I deem it unnecessary todescribe, because theapplication of such mechanism is within theknowledge of engineers, and suitable mechanism for this purpose is,lnoreover, described in patents heretofore granted to me for revolvingtowers and fortitications.

At the top of the pillar P is a fixed internal gear, Q, with whichmeshes a pinion, R, fixed to the lower end of a shaft, S, which is madein two parts connected by a sleeve, S', so that the upper part may moveup and down together with the lookout-platform 0, in which it has itsbearings, while imparting rotation to the pinion R, and thereby to thesaid platform.

The shaft S may be conveniently lrotated by a hand-wheel, T, connectedwith the shaft by bevel-gears U. The platform O is raised and lowered atwill independently of the main structure by a piston, V, and cylinder W,constituting a hydraulic ram, into which the water is forced at will incustomary manner.

The tanks D and pipes E and H may have any necessary capacity, so as toraise and lower the fort as rapidly as desired. In practice the saidpipes will be of larger capacity than here shown. The water-supply maybe near or remote.r

Having thus described my invention, the following is what I claim as newtherein and desire to secure by Letters Patent:

1. The combination of a water-tight pit in the earth, a buoyant fortcentered to rotate within the said piton a verticalaxis,constructed withacasem ate at top, which may be sunk completely within the pit, and aWater-supply and connections of the required elevation and capacity toadmit of raising the casemate out of the pit for action and lowering itwithin the pit for protection, al1 substantially as herein set forth.

2. The combination, with the pit B' and revolving fort or tower C, ofthe sloped embankment A', to permit the discharge of guns at a moderateangle of elevation while protected from an enemys tire, substantially asset forth.

THEODORE R. TIMBY.

Witnesses: i y

OCTAVIUS KNIGHT, J. L. CoNDRoN.

